BEIJING — China said it hopes this year will be a “landmark year” for its relationship with its biggest competitor, the U.S., striking a largely positive tone ahead of an expected summit between the leaders of the two countries later this month.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking Sunday at a press briefing on the sidelines of an annual meeting of China’s ceremonial legislature, said that it was a “big year” for the relationship between the two world powers. He said that that while there are many differences, “the two heads of state have personally maintained good exchanges at the highest level,” providing a level of “strategic guarantee” for the bilateral relationship.

U.S. President Donald Trump is due to visit Beijing for a summit with China’s President Xi Jinping at the end of March. While Wang did not confirm the visit, he signaled that Beijing is looking for a less fraught relationship.

“The agenda for high-level exchanges is already on our table. What needs to be done now is for both sides to make thorough preparations for this, foster a suitable atmosphere, manage existing differences, and eliminate unnecessary distractions,” said Wang. “China’s attitude has always been positive and open, and the key is for the U.S. side to meet us halfway.”

The two countries have been at loggerheads for years, especially since Trump launched a trade war with China during his first term. Last year, he hit China with the highest trade duties of his worldwide tariffs, citing a major trade imbalance with the country. Trump and Xi agreed to a temporary trade truce last October that hit pause on the highest of the tariffs, but did not resolve any of the deeper underlying issues.

Wang’s comments reflected a China that views itself on the ascendant. In this role, it would defend the position of the United Nations, which is undergoing layoffs and reductions after the U.S. withdrew from multiple U.N. initiatives.

Beijing is one of the five members of the U.N. Security Council that holds a permanent seat and veto power, and has been able to leverage its position to build relationships, while also filing a diplomatic void left by the U.S. since Trump’s first term.

The minister spoke about the Global Governance Initiative, a security initiative that China’s Xi first unveiled last September. Beijing is now saying that the initiative will center the United Nations. “The clearest signal from global governance initiatives is that the U.N.’s leading role must be upheld and cannot be shaken; its core role should be strengthened, not weakened.”

“Although the U.N. is not perfect, without it the world would only be worse. Bypassing the U.N. to set up alternative arrangements, going one’s own way, or cobbling together various small groupings will win no support and are not sustainable,” he also said.

Wang also reiterated his call for an immediate stop to military actions in Iran.

“This is a war that shouldn’t have happened, and is one that doesn’t bring any benefit to anyone,” said Wang, without mentioning the U.S. by name, he issued a thinly-veiled criticism. “Might does not equal right, and the world cannot revert to the law of the jungle.”

He called on major powers to “play a constructive role” and to return to the negotiations table to end the war.

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AP video producer Liu Zheng contributed to this report.